PBA 049
8:26:48 PM Quintilian: Captain Vel has taken off! After promising not to drag the group into corporate contract work or intrigue. But we all know he's lying. 8:27:10 PM | Edited 8:28:22 PM Canto: He has promised you some "horses." 8:27:16 PM Canto: Also Quint made the dwarf girl cry. 8:27:41 PM Quintilian: Quintilian did. He's not always good with people. Especially not religious people. 8:31:01 PM Canto: Iskandar is currently mxing something up in the kitchen. 8:31:50 PM Quintilian: Tarak turns up, with a book in one hand and a flask in the other. "Hey." 8:32:28 PM Canto: Iskandar nods. "What's in the flask?" 8:33:05 PM Quintilian: Tarak: Water. 8:33:36 PM Canto: Iskandar makes a face. "All right. Hand me them maple syrup from that cabinet, then." 8:33:42 PM Nilani: Nilani is sitting in the galley, reading a book. As usual. 8:34:41 PM Canto: Iskandar: What are you reading? 8:34:51 PM Quintilian: Tarak does. 8:35:12 PM Quintilian: Spot check for Isk and Nilani! 8:35:33 PM Canto: ((14)) 8:36:05 PM Nilani: (( 23 )) 8:37:08 PM Nilani: Valtarsh's Non-Flammable Guide to the Elemental Plane of Fire. 8:37:29 PM Nilani: You okay, Tarak? 8:37:48 PM Quintilian: Tarak: Never better. Plannin' on goin' on a hot vacation? 8:38:20 PM Nilani: Nah, just working my way down the shelf it's on. 8:38:41 PM Canto: Iskandar: I hear the City of Brass is a pretty happening place. Tarak, hand me that wedge of cheese. 8:39:14 PM Quintilian: Tarak: Gonna read the whole library, huh? 8:39:33 PM Quintilian: Tarak grabs the cheese and brings it to Isk, setting his sketchbook down. 8:39:40 PM Nilani: Well I've got five years. 8:39:49 PM Canto: Iskandar dumps the bottle of maple syrup into a boiling pot. Then he drops the wedge of cheese in there right after. 8:40:01 PM Nilani: More if we can solve this curse skullduggery. 8:41:11 PM Quintilian: Tarak: ... the hell you makin', anyhow? 8:41:37 PM Canto: Iskandar: Varkrath. 8:42:22 PM | Edited 8:42:31 PM Canto: Iskandar: It's a kind of eel stew. 8:42:38 PM Canto: Iskandar: But we don't have any eels. 8:43:00 PM Nilani: You could ask Talas for a couple. 8:43:31 PM Quintilian: Tarak: Think I'll pass on that. 8:43:50 PM Canto: Iskandar: I think Ive found a pretty decent substitue. 8:43:59 PM Quintilian: Tarak: Yeah? 8:44:12 PM Quintilian: He sits down across from Nilani. 8:44:36 PM Canto: He nods. 8:44:53 PM Canto: Iskandar: Maple syrup, cheese, and lamb. 8:45:49 PM Quintilian: Tarak makes a face. "... no thanks." 8:46:49 PM Canto: Iskandar: True. It might not be suited to your human palate. 8:48:50 PM Quintilian: Tarak: No worries on your elven one, though, huh? 8:49:25 PM Nilani: Eh. It's probably not worse than rat. 8:50:46 PM Canto: Iskandar shrugs noncommitally. "I don't taste terribly easily." 8:50:46 PM Quintilian: Tarak: Nothin' wrong with rat, if it's cooked right. 8:51:21 PM Quintilian: Ven walks in. Dressed like a man today. 8:51:39 PM Quintilian: Ven: Yeah, that's what she said, cap! 8:51:44 PM Nilani: Hey, Ven. 8:52:38 PM Quintilian: Ven: Hey, sneaky girl. Pick any pockets today? 8:53:29 PM Quintilian: Ven flomps onto a chair, putting feet up onto another chair, regardless of muddy boots. 8:53:38 PM Nilani: Not yet. 8:53:41 PM Canto: Iskandar: Was that innuendo? If so, how? 8:54:36 PM Quintilian: Ven: Well explaining it ruins it. 8:55:07 PM Quintilian: Ven: And if you pick mine show me how you done it. Always wanted to learn. 8:57:25 PM Nilani: Nilani grins at Ven. "Sure." 8:59:15 PM Quintilian: Ven: 'course I usually just threaten to shoot 'em. But up close, might be nice to avoid the fuss. 8:59:34 PM Quintilian: Tarak: If you don't mind gettin' a fist to the face, sure. 8:59:59 PM Quintilian: Ven: You wouldn't. 9:00:16 PM Quintilian: Tarak: Nope. But only 'cause I keep my stuff in my underwear. 9:01:15 PM Canto: Iskandar: And I'll electrocute you if you try. 9:02:00 PM Quintilian: Ven grins. 9:02:29 PM Nilani: It's more fun to put things into people's pockets. Nothing valuable, really, just something silly like a rock with a silly face on it. 9:02:50 PM Quintilian: Somehow Ven always seems to have a lot of teeth with that particular expression. 9:02:59 PM Quintilian: Ven: Yeah? 9:04:36 PM Nilani: If you're really good, you can stash some valuables on a bystander and come back when the constables are done being grumpy. Essentially using someone as a walking storage unit. 9:05:51 PM Wynn: Wynn walks in and glances around before heading to the sink for the biggest glass of water possible. 9:06:15 PM Quintilian: Wynn, spot check! 9:06:27 PM Quintilian: Ven: ... now that might come in useful. 9:06:59 PM Wynn: ((20.)) 9:08:29 PM Canto: Iskandar throws some noodles in the pot. 9:09:34 PM Nilani: If you've got the money for it, sticking a jar of Tangarvine sap with a dispersion cap in someone's pocket can slowly make everyone in a good thirty feet or so feel just extremely angry at whoever this is. 9:10:09 PM Quintilian: Tarak: Well that don't sound too sportsmanlike. 9:10:10 PM Wynn: Wynn leans against the counter and drinks and listens. 9:10:18 PM Nilani: Nope. 9:10:41 PM Nilani: Not even a little. 9:11:47 PM Quintilian: Tarak: Could think of situations where it'd come in useful, though. Hey, Wynn. How's that book I'm havin' you read comin'? 9:11:48 PM Canto: Isk loots thoughtful. 9:12:53 PM Wynn: I started it. 9:13:19 PM Wynn: It's... a slow read. 9:13:22 PM Canto: Iskandar: Eels = cheese... syrup.... noodles... oh! 9:13:25 PM Quintilian: Tarak: It's a little... high-flown, I know. But I figured you could handle it. 9:13:34 PM Canto: Iskandar breathes some electricity into the pot. 9:14:13 PM Quintilian: Ven: Ha. Now it smells good. 9:15:14 PM Wynn: I can. I just had to take a break and go train for a bit. 9:15:38 PM Quintilian: Tarak: Always important. Or... useful, anyhow. 9:16:12 PM Wynn: Feeling ok? Trying to cut back again? 9:17:09 PM Quintilian: Tarak: I'm fine. Why does everybody keep askin' me that? 9:17:21 PM Canto: Iskandar: I didn't. 9:17:27 PM Quintilian: Ven: 'cause you look like yer gonna hork. 9:17:43 PM | Edited 9:18:24 PM Nilani: Because you look white as a ghost, and you're visibly shaking. 9:18:23 PM Quintilian: Tarak: Yeah, well. I'm conscious, that's a helluva lot better'n'the last three times we tried this. 9:18:37 PM Quintilian: He takes a slug from the flask. 9:18:42 PM Quintilian: Ven: If he dies, I'm takin' his stuff. 9:18:51 PM Wynn: He's not dying. 9:19:55 PM Quintilian: Tarak: Probably. 9:20:15 PM Quintilian: Ven: Well I'm not killing him! I'm just sayin', that's all. 9:21:18 PM Quintilian: Tarak: Well that's a real comfort. 9:21:38 PM Quintilian: Tarak opens the notebook and starts sketching something. 9:22:24 PM Wynn: Must be the infamous notebook Mother Bellami was complaining about last I saw her. 9:23:41 PM Quintilian: Tarak: Oh yeah? What'd she say? 9:23:53 PM Quintilian: Ven peers over the top of it. 9:24:01 PM Wynn: Something about paying more attention to it than her. Don't really remember. 9:24:45 PM Quintilian: Tarak snorts. "Last I checked she didn't like gettin' paid attention to, neither." 9:24:55 PM Quintilian: Ven: Maybe she just doesn't like naked girly pictures. 9:25:42 PM Quintilian: Tarak: ... they're nudes. There's a difference. And they're not all nudes. 9:26:28 PM Wynn: Wynn smirks into her water. 9:27:06 PM Quintilian: Tarak: They're mostly not nudes. 9:27:16 PM Quintilian: Ven: Oh yeah? What's the difference? 9:27:54 PM Canto: Iskandar: Isn't mostly not nude more a state of being than an artistic subject? 9:28:38 PM Quintilian: Tarak: ... ya'all don't know a damn thing about art, do ya. 9:29:12 PM Quintilian: Ven: Nope, just naked girly pictures. 9:29:13 PM Wynn: Nope. 9:30:27 PM Quintilian: Tarak: Well, nudes aren't about sex. Sometimes it's about showing the ideal, but mostly I like to show the person. Stripped of artifice. ... y'know. Literally. 9:31:00 PM Wynn: Maybe she just doesn't like how you see her without her "artifice" then. 9:31:24 PM Quintilian: Tarak: ... probably got a point there. She likes to hide behind all that crap. 9:33:25 PM Quintilian: Tarak: A lot of 'em do. Allys covers up with clothes; Bell covers up with makeup and a whole buncha bullshit. Some folks hide behind armor or a title, too. 9:34:01 PM Quintilian: Tarak: Pull all that stuff off and all you got left is what's real. The true person. 9:34:04 PM Wynn: Wynn smirks again. "See, you still believe at least a little of what the Saint has to say." 9:34:16 PM Quintilian: Ven: Yeah, and naked ladies. 9:34:22 PM Canto: Iskandar: My true person is a magnificent blue dragon. I think I win. 9:35:23 PM Nilani: Hey. Ven. 9:35:49 PM Quintilian: Ven: Yeah? 9:35:52 PM Nilani: Nilani looks up from her book and smiles sweetly. "I pickpocketed someone today." 9:36:05 PM Wynn: Wynn frowns. 9:36:18 PM Quintilian: Ven: Oh yeah? 9:36:50 PM Quintilian: Tarak: Dragons, the truth bit's usually in their eyes. 9:37:05 PM Nilani: Check your pockets. 9:37:13 PM Quintilian: Ven checks! 9:38:04 PM Nilani: (It's one of those tiny metal dragon toys that spouts smoke when you press its wings together!) 9:38:52 PM Quintilian: Ven: Ha! Now when'd'you do that, eh? 9:39:39 PM Quintilian: Ven presses its wings together! Smokepuffs! 9:39:49 PM Nilani: While you were gawking at Tarak's sketchbook. 9:40:48 PM Quintilian: Ven: Nice. Gotta learn how to do that. 9:41:37 PM Nilani: Well, a good first step is to make sure your mark's attention is on smething that isn't you. 9:41:55 PM Quintilian: Ven: Right, got it. 9:42:17 PM Canto: Iskandar eyes Wynn. 9:42:41 PM Canto: Iskandar: Why aren't smokelines of disapproval coming out of your ears? 9:43:31 PM Wynn: ...can't stop it from happening. If I make a fuss, they'll just do it somewhere else. As long as nothing gets stolen, it's not... "wrong". 9:43:45 PM Nilani: Making it look like you couldn't possibly have done such a thing is also a good idea. For example, you may remember that m hands were both holding the book I was reading. 9:44:03 PM Quintilian: Ven: ... yeah, they were. 9:44:31 PM Nilani: Nilani holds up a foot and waggles the toes "I'm actually kind of surprised you didn't hear me pulling the boot off." 9:44:49 PM Quintilian: Tarak: See, the books are helping already. Pretty soon you'll be drawin' naked people just like me and I'll have nothin' to teach. 9:45:06 PM Wynn: Wynn raises an eyebrow. "You just... put something in Ven's pocket with your *toes*?" 9:45:19 PM Quintilian: Ven: You pickpocketed me WITH YOUR FEET? Fuckin' awesome! 9:47:11 PM Nilani: Yep. It took me ages to be able to do things with them with an acceptable level of dexterity. 9:48:40 PM Quintilian: Ven: How long you been doin' it? 9:48:52 PM Quintilian: Tarak, pointedly: That's what she said. 9:48:59 PM Quintilian: Ven just laughs. 9:49:08 PM Quintilian: Ven: Too right! 9:52:46 PM Wynn: Oh! Tarak, did I tell you about Axiom? 9:52:55 PM Quintilian: Tarak: ... no? 9:53:13 PM Wynn: I got my horse! 9:53:17 PM Wynn: Wynn smiles. 9:54:11 PM Quintilian: Tarak, sourly: Great. A sanity-challenged cow with bludgeoning tools on every end that doesn't have teeth. 9:54:32 PM Quintilian: Tarak: ... wait, you mean ... 9:54:35 PM Wynn: Axiom is no cow. He's a warhorse. 9:55:07 PM Quintilian: Tarak: You mean the god-horse, right? Those aren't quite as... horsey. 9:55:41 PM Wynn: He's beautiful. And awesome. 9:55:54 PM Quintilian: Tarak: Hey, good. Congratulations. 9:55:56 PM Wynn: Rode right into the fight. 9:56:03 PM Canto: Iskandar: Horses are delicious when you're a dragon. 9:56:11 PM Canto: Iskandar; Not so much when you're not. 9:56:14 PM Wynn: You eat my horse, I'll put you in the ground. 9:56:16 PM Quintilian: Tarak: ... don't eat her horse. 9:56:24 PM Quintilian: Ven: Better'n'rat. 9:57:08 PM Quintilian: Tarak: Why does everybody hate rat, anyhow? 9:57:11 PM Canto: Iskandar: When you're a dragon, I said. I just said that. 9:57:25 PM Quintilian: Tarak: You are a dragon. 9:57:34 PM Quintilian: Tarak: Just, you know... a runty, pinkish one. 9:57:34 PM Canto: Iskandar: How does that come out to "I'm going to eat her horse". 9:57:58 PM Quintilian: Ven: He's still zappy, so shut yer mouth. 9:58:06 PM Quintilian: Tarak rolls his eyes. 9:58:32 PM Wynn: I said I have a horse. You said they're delicious. It's not hard to see the connection. 9:58:53 PM Canto: Iskandar: We were talking about horses, I was contributing to the conversation. 10:00:34 PM Quintilian: Ven: Yeah! 10:01:02 PM Quintilian: Ven plays with the little dragonsmoker. Poof! Poof! Poof! 10:06:13 PM Canto: Iskandar: Anyway. That'll teach me to try and interact. 10:06:48 PM Wynn: I was just telling you not to eat my horse. If you weren't going to, then you can disregard. 10:07:12 PM Quintilian: Ven: If they don't like it, fuck 'em, cap. 10:07:22 PM Canto: Iskandar: Oh, sure, conditional threats, that totally lets you off the hook. Good thinking. 10:07:44 PM Wynn: Wynn frowns a little. "Isn't everything a conditional threat?" 10:07:48 PM Quintilian: Tarak: ... you worry too much, kid. And you're awful prickly today, too. 10:07:55 PM Canto: Iskandar: I like how it makes it all my fault. 10:07:57 PM Quintilian: He addressed the second part to Isk. 10:08:33 PM Quintilian: Tarak: My sister gettin' to ya? 10:08:44 PM Canto: Iskandar sighs. "Yeah, I am, I suppose. Sorry. Still kind of irritated." 10:09:11 PM Canto: Iskandar lifts his shirt a bit, revealing some reddened skin. "Allys healed it but it still stings." 10:09:19 PM Quintilian: Ven: Oh yeah? Want me to stab someone for ya, cap? 10:09:38 PM Wynn: What happened? 10:09:40 PM Canto: Iskandar: Nah, it's fine, you'd just get eaten anyway. 10:10:21 PM Canto: Iskandar: Some acid from that marshwyrm at the party. Ruined my suit. 10:10:55 PM Quintilian: Tarak: If you still got the pieces I could bring it to Bell. She's handy with that kinda stuff. 10:11:09 PM Quintilian: Ven: Not afraid of dragons. 10:11:34 PM Canto: Iskandar: Has nothing to do with fear, everything to do with the fact that she'd eat you. 10:12:12 PM Quintilian: Ven bristles. "Not before I'd shoot 'er in the eye." 10:12:55 PM Canto: Iskandar: Don't worry about it. I mean, I appreciate the suicidal loyalty, don't get me wrong. 10:13:37 PM Quintilian: Ven: She wrecked yer stuff. 10:13:59 PM Canto: Iskandar: It wasn't actually my suit. 10:14:07 PM Quintilian: Ven: Oh. 10:14:26 PM Canto: Iskandar: And it's healed, but it's itchy. 10:14:36 PM Canto: Iskandar: So it's irritating. 10:15:08 PM Wynn: Best way to get over that is to do something to take your mind off it. 10:16:03 PM Quintilian: Ven: Like what? 10:16:11 PM Canto: Iskandar: And thus, I'm cooking eel stew. Then I got accused of potential god-horse-eatery and someone threatened to put me in the ground. 10:16:33 PM Wynn: You think you'd be used to it by now. 10:16:50 PM Quintilian: Tarak: I never threatened. 10:17:04 PM Quintilian: Ven fiddles with the dragon. Poof. Poof. Poof. Tiny tiny smokepuffs. 10:18:36 PM Canto: Iskandar: Getting accused of potential god-horse-eatery? That's a new one. 10:19:16 PM Quintilian: Tarak: Hey, I'd consider it myself it if things got dire enough. 10:19:50 PM Quintilian: Tarak: At some point, you run outta shoe leather and bark to boil. 10:19:56 PM Wynn: You go ahead and eat your own then. 10:20:20 PM Quintilian: Tarak snorts. "I'd let Lilly eat me first." 10:20:51 PM Canto: Iskandar: Lilly? 10:21:24 PM Wynn: His giant wolf mount. 10:21:37 PM Quintilian: Tarak: She's just big-boned. 10:22:18 PM Wynn: She'd have to be to cart you around. 10:22:28 PM Canto: Iskandar: Oh, you can get wolves, too? I thought it was just horses? 10:22:40 PM Quintilian: Tarak: I hate horses. 10:23:21 PM Canto: Iskandar: Could a paladin ride a giant pig? Or a squid? 10:24:03 PM Quintilian: Tarak: Don't see why not. Boars are pretty fuckin' scary. 10:24:13 PM Wynn: ....I suppose so. Depending on the god and the terrain and... 10:24:15 PM Canto: Iskandar: Or a pigsquid. 10:25:19 PM Quintilian: Tarak: Havin' a wolf helped some on the battlefield. She stood out pretty good. 10:25:46 PM Quintilian: Ven: Why would you want to ride on a squid? 'cos of the ink? 10:26:30 PM Canto: Iskandar: Or a squidpig. Or a giant scorpion. 10:26:55 PM Canto: Iskandar puts a bowl of goop in front of Wynn. "Peace offereing." 10:27:21 PM Wynn: Umm. Ok? I didn't know we were fighting. 10:27:37 PM Quintilian: Ven: Go ahead, eat it. He cooks good. There's always leftovers, though. 10:27:54 PM Quintilian: Tarak: He's makin' dragon-sized portions. 10:28:09 PM Canto: Iskandar: Actually, I made a concsious effort not to do that this time. 10:28:15 PM Canto: He puts some in front of Ven. 10:29:00 PM Quintilian: Ven eats it! As usual, like a barbarian--slurp slurp slurp gobble slurp belch slurrrrrp. 10:29:47 PM Wynn: Wynn takes it to the table, sits and does eat it. 10:31:54 PM Canto: Canto puts some in front of Tarak and Nilani! 10:32:11 PM Quintilian: Tarak declines, politely. "Save me some for later." 10:35:32 PM Canto: Iskandar: Looks like there will be plenty! 10:35:51 PM Quintilian: Ven: Love leftovers. 10:36:17 PM Wynn: This isn't bad. Thanks. 10:37:14 PM Canto: Iskandar: Really? I didn't think I was gonna be able to simulate eels. 10:37:38 PM Quintilian: Ven: Better'n'real ones. 10:37:54 PM Wynn: I don't know what eel tastes like. 10:38:40 PM | Edited 10:39:42 PM Canto: Isk: Like fish, but a bit gamier. 10:40:40 PM Wynn: Well, whatever it's supposed to taste like, it does taste decent. I'm not real picky though. 10:42:37 PM Canto: Iskandar: Well, good. 10:44:04 PM Quintilian: Tarak stands up, wobbling a bit. "Gonna go see 'bout gettin' some rest. Later." 10:44:15 PM Wynn: Wynn nods. 10:44:20 PM Quintilian: He heads out. 10:47:13 PM Wynn: So what have you been getting into, Ven? 10:47:20 PM Quintilian: Ven: Nothin' you can prove. 10:47:55 PM Canto: Iskandar: Now now, let's all be civil. 10:48:17 PM Canto: Iskandar: Or don't, really. Conduct your lives as you will. 10:50:46 PM Quintilian: Ven grins. Teeth. 10:51:17 PM Canto: Iskandar: So how did you get your godhorse, Wynn? 10:51:30 PM Canto: Iskandar: Did you have to catch him and tame him yourself? 10:52:46 PM Wynn: I'm... not really sure how it all happened. We were out in town, we did a thing, and... I think the Saint was testing me. I must have passed. Spent the night in prayer and meditation and... I just tried it and it worked. 10:53:15 PM Canto: Iskandar: Huh. Where does he go when he's not with you? 10:54:25 PM Wynn: I... don't know for sure. I think I remember hearing that they're on a different plane until you call for them. 10:54:52 PM Quintilian: Ven: Must be a plane without hungry dragons. 10:55:39 PM Canto: Iskandar: you should ask him next time. If it's an unpleasant plane, maybe you can find a way to put him somewhere nicer. 10:56:25 PM Wynn: That's... actually a good point. 10:56:40 PM Canto: Iskandar: Maybe even in the Forest. So that he's always nearby. 10:56:49 PM Canto: Iskandar: Locationally, not dimensionally speaking. 10:57:09 PM Wynn: I mean... he doesn't talk back to me, but I can understand him somewhat. 10:59:34 PM Canto: Iskandar: How? 11:01:36 PM Wynn: It's hard to explain, but it's like I can feel what he feels. Works both ways, I think. 11:04:12 PM Canto: Iskandar: How intelligent is he? Smarter than a normal horse? 11:04:49 PM Wynn: Yes. Learns faster than normal horses too. 11:05:20 PM Wynn: Of course... I only really know what I've read. That information could all be wrong. 11:06:58 PM Quintilian: Ven has fallen asleep on the table, snoring and drooling a little bit. 11:07:38 PM Wynn: There was a story that Father Fenton told me once. It was about this very powerful paladin. His mount led other horses into battle like he led men. 11:08:52 PM Wynn: There's a kind of... connection. The more the Saint blesses me, the more powerful my mount will become as well. 11:09:31 PM Canto: Iskandar: Horse army. interesting! 11:14:01 PM Canto: Iskandar: Are you an experienced rider? 11:14:32 PM Wynn: Wynn nods. "I was trained for it." 11:14:33 PM Quintilian: ((Because Ven's not awake I just have to say it OOC: THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID.)) 11:15:00 PM Wynn: I spent a lot of time with the horses when I wasn't expected to be elsewhere. 11:19:05 PM Canto: Iskandar: And apparently you already got to bash someone's head from horseback. Janis mentioned it. 11:19:14 PM Wynn: Wynn smiles. 11:23:51 PM Canto: Iskandar: Well then. Help yourself to more stew. 11:23:59 PM Canto: Iskandar: I'm gonna go take a nap. 11:24:12 PM Wynn: Wynn nods. "I should get to reading that book." 11:24:51 PM Canto: Canto nods, and waves!